Newsletter

Georgia House honors 2 members who died last year

David Goldman Associated Press Family and colleagues of the late Georgia Rep. Calvin Hill, R-Canton, gather as House Speaker David Ralston talks during a moment of remembrance on the second day of the legislative session.

ATLANTA | Tuesday, the human side of elective office outshone the political side — at least for a moment — as the entire House of Representatives rose in applause to honor two legislators who died in office last year, Quincy Murphy and Calvin Hill.

“You never know, when you leave at the end of the session, if we will all be together again,” House Speaker David Ralston said.

He became friends with both men because he was first elected to the House in 2002, the same year as Murphy, an Augusta Democrat who died in August and Hill, a Ballground Republican who died in October.

“I came to love Quincy very much over the years,” said Ralston, R-Blue Ridge. “Quincy was solid as a rock. ... Although he was quiet, he was powerful, and the fruits of his labor bore that out.”

The speaker recalled how Murphy rarely made speeches in the House but often would slip into a chair next to Ralston to lobby about an appropriation or bill for his hometown.

“He really loved Augusta and Richmond County,” Ralston said.

Murphy’s widow Dianne Murphy told the lawmakers of her appreciation.

“I know that my husband loved you all as much as you loved him,” she said. “In his last days, he was always working for the people of Richmond County, the people of Augusta.”